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‘The Swift effect’ Photographers share experience of covering Taylor, Travis romance

It started simply enough.

In July, Taylor Swift brought her record-setting “Eras” tour to Kansas City. Two of the Star’s visual journalists, Emily Curiel and Tammy Ljungblad, covered not only the show, but the swarm of Swifties in attendance and a giant field maze created to welcome her.

Cutting a swath through the wheat stubble, Rob Stouffer of Precision Mazes, worked Monday, July 3, 2023, creating a mammoth welcome message to Taylor Swift in a field in Orrick, Missouri, in Ray County. It took Stouffer about 13 hours to create the crop art.
Cutting a swath through the wheat stubble, Rob Stouffer of Precision Mazes, worked Monday, July 3, 2023, creating a mammoth welcome message to Taylor Swift in a field in Orrick, Missouri, in Ray County. It took Stouffer about 13 hours to create the crop art. Tammy Ljungblad tljungblad@kcstar.com

Great music, great pictures. Now on to the next assignment...

Except that a few weeks later, during Chiefs training camp, talk of a budding romance between the pop star and Travis Kelce started to gain traction.

By the time the Chicago Bears came to Arrowhead for a game in September, so did the world’s biggest pop star.

And she’s been coming back ever since.

Pop star Taylor Swift arrives at Arrowhead Stadium before an AFC Wild Card game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, in Kansas City.
Pop star Taylor Swift arrives at Arrowhead Stadium before an AFC Wild Card game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, in Kansas City. Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com

It’s created a unique opportunity for Curiel, Ljungblad and the Star’s Nick Wagner to help supply the insatiable demand for images of the famed singer, while doing their job on the sports beat too.

How has it changed their Sundays? What tricks have they learned? What’s it like to see celebrities doing what real people do?

As the season rolls into its final week, “Camera Ready: Taylor, Travis & The KC Star” goes behind the lens with three people who’ve been perfectly placed to watch this storybook tale unfold. Part 1 is called “the Swift Effect.” Watch the video here.

Follow More of Our Reporting on Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce

Randy Mason
The Kansas City Star
Randy Mason is a former journalist for the Kansas City Star, The Star, KC Star
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